The Tutsi are a people who live in Rwanda, Burundi, and the northeastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo. They have much in common with the other groups of this region, the Twa and the Hutu. Their cultures are similar, and they all speak the same language. In the past, the Tutsi were cattle herders. They were a minority of the population.
However, most upper-class rulers were Tutsi. A system of cattle trading helped maintain peace among different groups. Wealthier individuals (often Tutsi) lent cattle to poorer ones (often Hutu). In return, they gained labor, loyalty, and political support. European rule significantly altered social relations in Rwanda and Burundi.
The Germans held power from the 1890s until World War I (191418). Then the Belgians ruled until 1962. For most of this period, the Europeans treated the Tutsi better than the Hutu. In the 1950s, however, the Belgians urged the Hutu to challenge Tutsi power. In 1959 Hutu leaders overthrew the Tutsi monarchy in Rwanda.
Many Tutsi people fled to neighboring countries in search of safety. In Burundi, the transition to independence was relatively peaceful. The mwami (the Tutsi king) played a crucial role in facilitating an agreement between the Tutsi and Hutu sides. However, this peace did not last long. The Hutu attempted to gain power through force, but they were ultimately defeated. When the colonial period ended, opposite groups controlled Rwanda and Burundi.
The Hutu held power in Rwanda until 1994. The Tutsi still rule Burundi. Hutu power in Rwanda ended in 1994 when Tutsi rebels overthrew the government. However, this Tutsi victory occurred at a great cost in human lives. As many as one million people were killed.
Rwanda and Burundi are mountainous countries in east-central Africa. Their combined total area is about 20,900 square miles (54,100 square kilometers). This is about the combined size of the states of Maryland and New Jersey. Tutsi also live in the northeastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire). They live near the city of Bukavu in the Mulenge region. Here they are known as the Banyamulenge.